Preview

Communicative Language Testing

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1187 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Communicative Language Testing
Teaching and testing are so closely interrelated. It is obvious that the development of different theories and approaches of language learning and teaching also affects the history of language testing. Therefore, it is common to see evolution of both language teaching and language testing.

There has been a shift from analytical to integrative approach in both language teaching and language testing falling into three stages:

❖ Grammar –translation ❖ Structural ❖ Communicative Approach

These three generations of language teaching are seen parallel to three generations of language testing. Through this shift, new ideas about language testing and new ways of evaluating the performance of language learners have emerged.

The traditional description led to the teaching and learning of formal patterns of the language and the testing of language structures and vocabulary within a discrete – point single sentence format while the elaboration of communicative competence has had a considerable impact on language testing.

Applied linguistics claimed that communicative language testing means not communicative testing of language, but the testing of communicative language. Thus, what distinguishes communicative language testing is the introduction of real – language input rather than new methodology of testing.

As far as testing grammar is concerned, grammar has always been regarded as an important area for testing learner's language proficiency. It still occupies a major position and is still present in many school examinations and even with commercially available proficiency tests. There is no doubt that this is a category to be measured when investigating an individual's performance in a language. Thus, a better understanding of the construct of grammar is needed in order to improve the ways in which grammar is tested. However, what is of great importance is the extent to which the role of grammar has



References: CANALE, M., SWAIN, M. 1980. Theoretical Basis of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching and Testing O 'SHANESSY, C. 1995. Testing Grammar. In Guidelines: A Periodical for Classroom Language Teachers, 1995, Vol.17/2, pp REA-DICKINS, P. 1987. The Relationship Between Grammatical Abilities and Aspects of Communicative Competence: with Special Reference to the testing of Grammar REA-DICKINS, P. 1991. What Makes a Grammar Test Communicative? In ALDERSON, J.C., NORTH, B Rita Rafajlovičová. The Status of Grammar within the Process of Teaching and Testing. Accessed on December 23, 2010. Accessed at http://www.pulib.sk/elpub2/FF/Ferencik2/pdf_doc/26.pdf

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Assessment is an essential and vital source of information about students ' language-learning needs (Gibbons, 2002). Assessments are a good way for teachers to get an idea of what their students already know and good at and to assess and evaluate which areas of language needs reinforcement. Teachers through day-to-day teaching and learning activities can assess their students understanding of the language and plan for further programs (teaching and learning tasks) that will help their students linguistically and academically in the future. Teachers should try and make assessments a good experience not a bitter and frightening one for students. Assessments should be about the students i.e. it should serve to maximise students’ ability and knowledge not to limit them and show only what they cannot achieve.…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Klapper, J (1998) Language Learning at School and University , Language Learning journal 18, p23-27…

    • 6976 Words
    • 24 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The academic community has long debated the need to teach grammar skills and its benefits to students. Unfortunately; college students are graduating every day without the simple basic knowledge of sentence structure, spelling or grammar (College Boad, The National Commission on Writing for America 's Families, Schools, and Colleges, 2004). Traditionally, two different approaches have been used. In the 60’s, a “rule-based”, approach which used repetitive drills and sentence diagramming was employed. This theory was proven ineffective by Weaver in 1996 (Weaver, 1996), and a “context-based”, theory was adopted,…

    • 419 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    References: Education, L. D. (2012, December 10). English Language Developement Assessment. Retrieved from Louisiana Department of Education: http://www.doe.state.la.us/topics/elda.html…

    • 1481 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    A Modest Proposal

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Contrary to my preference for application, I was intrigued by Constance Weaver’s discussion of the arguments for and against the formal teaching of grammar, citing the contradictory research conclusions reached by Margaret Kolln and George Hillocks. While Hillocks seems to totally abandon the idea that grammar instruction can improve student writing, while Kolln questions the validity of some of the research prior…

    • 656 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    ACT Vs SAT Testing

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages

    I have never encountered a scenario, when unreliability was clearly seen; however, legibility of one’s written answer could be one of the causes for inconsistency in marking a integrative language test. A combination of both multiple-choice questions and an essay portion, similar to most of the standardized test would be the best way to make tests reliable for students, and reduce the time taken to grade them for…

    • 451 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Reflective Journal Sample

    • 1206 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Coombe, C., Folse, K. & Hubley, N. (2007). A Practical guide to assessing English language learners. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press…

    • 1206 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Ma Tesol Student

    • 3669 Words
    • 15 Pages

    2011 International Conference on Social Science and Humanity (ICSSH 2011) Language Learning Strategy Preferences of Iranian EFL Students Jahanbakhsh Nikoopour Mohammad Amini Farsani Jahangir Kashefi Neishabouri English Translation Studies Dept. IAU, North Tehran Branch Tehran, Iran e-mail: j_nikoopour@iau-tnb.ac.ir Foreign Languages Dept. University for Teacher Education Tehran, Iran e-mail: m_amini.farsani@yahoo.com Psychology Dept. University for Teacher Education Tehran, Iran e-mail: ampir@ymail.com Abstract—The current study was carried out with the intention of investigating the most preferred strategy used by EFL students in Iran. The instrument utilized in this study was Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) to assess the learners ' strategy use frequency in language learning.…

    • 3669 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bitsat Syllabus

    • 3788 Words
    • 16 Pages

    This test is designed to assess the test takers’ general proficiency in the use of English language as a means of self-expression in real life situations and specifically to test the test takers’ knowledge of basic grammar, their vocabulary, their ability to read fast and comprehend, and also their ability to apply the elements of effective writing.…

    • 3788 Words
    • 16 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    How Languages Are Learnt

    • 3022 Words
    • 13 Pages

    Every few years new foreign language teaching methods arrive on the scene. New textbooks appear far more frequently. New methods and textbooks may reflect current developments in linguistic/applied linguistic theory or recent pedagogical trends. Sometimes they are said to be based on recent developments in language learning theory and research. For example, one approach to teaching may emphasize the value of having students to imitate and practice a set of correct sentences while another emphasizes the importance of encouraging “natural” communication between learners.…

    • 3022 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Aviation

    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Electric - An Aircraft Electrical System is a self contained network of components that generate, transmit, distribute, utilize and store electrical energy.…

    • 440 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    IELTS

    • 3150 Words
    • 13 Pages

    The package includes a CD-ROM and an Access File which is delivered upon purchase as…

    • 3150 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Learn Writing by the Comics

    • 9174 Words
    • 37 Pages

    The 8th grade students don’t like the English subject because they could not find any fun when they learn it “They have a great potential…

    • 9174 Words
    • 37 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    • ^ Underwood J. (1984) Linguistics, computers and the language teacher: a communicative approach, Rowley, Massachusetts: Newbury House.…

    • 5043 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    English Language Testing

    • 4252 Words
    • 18 Pages

    The SSC students of East West School study compulsory English language course as part of the S.S.C. Examination. Besides, they learn and use English language as it is the medium of instruction of the School. But the attitude towards testing system of the SSC students of East West School has not been studied before. Thus it is of relevance to discover the attitudes of the target population towards testing system. But some teachers claimed that in a Communicative language test all the four skills are expected to be equally represented in test items. If any skill, which is an important aspect of the test construct, is given less importance in test construct than the other skills then the test is said to suffer from construct under-representation.…

    • 4252 Words
    • 18 Pages
    Better Essays